Published: April 21, 2025
Ganta, Nimba County – More than 100 trained election observers have been deployed across Nimba County ahead of Tuesday’s senatorial by-election, as three of Liberia’s leading civic organizations call on voters to uphold peace and democratic values during the polls.
The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC), the Liberia Election Observation Network (LEON), and the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-Liberia) confirmed in a joint statement on Monday that they have positioned 88 short-term observers and 13 coordinators and supervisors throughout the county’s nine electoral districts to monitor the entire electoral process—from setup and voting to counting and results tallying.
The deployment follows the death of Senator Prince Y. Johnson in November 2024, whose passing triggered a pivotal race to fill the seat in one of Liberia’s most politically influential counties, home to more than 300,000 registered voters.
“With this deployment, we reaffirm our collective commitment to protecting Liberia’s democracy,” the joint statement read. “We urge all citizens of Nimba County to vote peacefully, reject violence, and uphold the rule of law.”
The coalition said situational updates will be centralized through a Joint Election Data Center based in Ganta, providing real-time reports and assessments as voting unfolds.
Seven candidates, including one woman, have been cleared by the National Elections Commission (NEC) to contest the vacant Senate seat. The observers praised the NEC for its commitment to transparency and inclusivity, while encouraging greater female participation in future electoral processes.
Though the campaign season remained largely peaceful, the groups cited isolated incidents of inflammatory rhetoric and noted a recent altercation involving the campaign team of female candidate Edith Gongloe Weh.
Still, they praised most candidates and their supporters for adhering to key electoral agreements, including the Farmington River Declaration and the Violence Against Women in Elections (VAWiE) Protocol, which promote nonviolence and gender equity during elections.
The organizations also applauded the NEC for the timely distribution of election materials and credited the Liberia National Police for stepping up security efforts in the run-up to the vote. Local civic and voter education efforts were also recognized as vital to fostering informed participation on election day.
ECC, LEON, and WANEP used the eve of the vote to issue specific calls to action:
- To voters: Turn out peacefully and respect the process.
- To candidates and supporters: Maintain calm and uphold democratic principles.
- To NEC: Provide clear, timely updates on election results.
- To security forces: Engage with professionalism and patience.
“All electoral grievances must be addressed through established legal channels,” the statement emphasized.
The coalition will release a preliminary observation statement shortly after polls close on Tuesday, followed by a full report in the days ahead.
The Nimba County senatorial by-election is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. on April 22.
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